anthropometry design for elderly people, all the consideration about the anthropometry of elderly people, safety and precautions while designing for elderly people

1. ANTHROPOMETRY
DESIGN FOR ELDERLY
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Guided by :
Prof. Chitra Shinde
Prof. Masira Ansari
Prof. Mansi Joshi
Prof. Leena Aphale
Prof. Mohammad taha

2. While many seniors like to be
independent, they need
thoughtfully designed spaces
to be able to live in comfort.
Here are some important
factors that one should keep
in mind when modifying the
home interiors for the elderly!

3. Wheelchair Access
• If wheelchair access is a priority, then you should have wider
doors and clear passageways in every room.
• The turning radius of a wheelchair is around 5 feet, so for
easy maneuvering, all passages should be at least 5 ½ to 6
feet wide.
• It’s a good idea to have doors that are at least 4 feet wide. If
your rooms are on the smaller side, double doors work
better than single doors.
• Also ensure that entryways have a ramp with a gentle slope,
in addition to steps.
Tackling Staircases
• Many seniors find it hard to climb upstairs. If your house has
two floors, and the elderly person needs to access both
levels, then you can consider installing a stairlift.
• This is a mechanical device with a chair or a lifting platform
that moves along a rail that’s mounted on the treads.

4. Senior-friendly
Furniture
Recommendation for Office Chairs and Tables for Elderly
Workers
• A home for seniors should never be cluttered
with too much furniture.
• sharp edges and corners should be avoided, and
chairs should be sturdy and properly balanced.
• Side tables next to the bed or bedside seating
areas are useful for keeping spectacles, water,
medicines and so on.
• All items inside the wardrobe should be easily
accessible; a pull-down wardrobe lift is a useful
accessory if rods are too high to reach.
• Easy chairs with fabric on the back, are very
comfortable seating options.
• Office chairs and tables are the very basic items
that almost every elderly employee will use.
Critical measurements for an office chair are seat
height, width, and depth.
• In addition arm rest height is also important for
assisting elderly people in standing up from the
chair. Table describes the ergonomic criteria
applied and recommended values.

5. Placement of Storage Shelves
• In general, the requirements of elderly users for clear visibility and easy reach should
determine the placement of storage shelves in the home or at work.
• Also, elderly users have reduced muscular strength and joint mobility due to the ageing
process.
• As far as possible most items should be stored between the knuckle and shoulder heights so
that elderly users are not subjected to bending and overreaching demands.
• Table shows some examples of storage options and their respective design values.
Recommended Values for Some Storage Options at Work and Home Environment

6. Bedroom
•Build wardrobes at a
suitable height to ensure
easy access for elders on
wheelchairs
•Install 2-way switches
with a maximum height of
1200mm above floor level
so that the elderly doesn’t
have to cross their room in
the dark to operate the
room lights, one switch
should be installed near
their bed while the other
should be near the
bedroom door
Living Room
•Ensure a minimum
manoeuvring space of
1250mm by 1500mm at your
home’s main entrance
•Keep your home, especially
the circulation path and
entrances, free of any
obstacles, projection or
protrusions
•Install eye-viewers at an
appropriate height on the
main doo
Doors
•Install sliding doors for easier access if you have adequate
wall space
•Should you go for swing doors, ensure that they swing
outwards so that it’s easier for the rescuer to gain access if
the elderly falls behind the door
•Door colours should ideally be of a mid-tone colour so as
to contrast with the walls and skirting
•Architraves and door frames should be of a darker colour
to help define surface junctions and openings while
contrasting with floors, walls and doors

7. Flooring
Safety and ease of maintenance should be important considerations
when choosing the right flooring for the elderly. For elders with an
unsteady gait, a non-slip surface is a must.
•Carpeted flooring is comfortable underfoot and offers to cushion in
the event of a fall,but is not suitable for elders who are in a
wheelchair. Do remember that carpets are also not easy to keep
clean as they have to be vacuumed regularly, and they also get
stained easily.
•Anti-skid vitrified or ceramic tiles are very easy to keep clean but
do not offer a non-slip surface when wet.
•Especially in bathrooms, you should replace the tiles with flamed
granite or a similar surface that has an even, rough texture.
•Vinyl floors are easy to maintain, and if you can add a layer of cork
below you will get a cushioning effect in case of falls.
The colour of the flooring tile is also an important consideration.
Whites and light colours do not show up water spills, and even a
little water on the floor can cause a nasty accident.

8. DESIGNING SAFE
BATHROOMS FOR
THE ELDERLY
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9. Affordable toilets that comply with universal design
standards generally serve the demands of the elderly, who are
considered a group of people with reduced mobility. Even if the
elderly still have the ability to walk, it is important to consider
wheelchair use and the possibility of a caregiver when sizing
spaces. A well-designed and spacious wheelchair-accessible
bathroom also improves circulation, preventing falls and
injuries from bumping into something.
Bathroom Access-
• The first concern should be how the bathroom is able
to be accessed.
• A clear path without barriers or loose objects such as
rugs or shoes is essential to avoid tripping or
disrupting traffic from a wheelchair
• At night, adding light sources on the way to the
bathroom, with well-located switches, is also vital for
safety.

10. Doors
• The bathroom door should be able to be opened easily and intuitively
and be at least 80 centimeters wide.
• Lever knobs are simpler than those that require twisting the handle.
Removing locks can make access easier if necesary for an emergency.
• It is also convenient for the door to slide or open for the same reasons.
Flooring
• Due to water, soap, and other toiletries, it is common for floors to
become slippery in bathrooms. It is therefore imperative that the floor
is made of a non-slip material.
• All kinds of floors have non-slip options such as ceramics,
cementitious boards, epoxy, and rubberized floors that can work well
for bathrooms. Some experts suggest that bathrooms have contrasting
colors, for example if the walls or the floor contrast with the sanitary
ware, to avoid confusion for elderly people with reduced vision.
• Rugs, if not suitable, can also be a major cause of accidents. Ideally,
they should be rubberized where they touch the floor so that they have
sufficient friction with the surface and never slip.

11. Toilets
• Because of the reduction of muscle tone in the elderly, a
can ease the movement of sitting and especially getting
• Thus, it is recommended that toilets are a little higher
conventional height, which can be done by "wedging" the
toilet.
• They should end up being about 46 cm high.
• they should also be tightly attached to the floor or wall.
Grab Bars
• Grab bars assist at the most critical times, such as when
sitting on the toilet or at the shower stall entrance.
• Using accessories that are not suitable for the weight of
the user, such as the towel bar, can be extremely
dangerous.
• The bars should usually be aluminum or stainless steel
and should be tightly secured to the wall.
• They are usually installed near the toilet and also the
shower, between 1.10 and 1.30 meters high.
• If the bathroom is too large, it is preferred to install
safety bars on the empty walls that lead to these two
strategic points of the bathroom.

12. • The shower box should be at least
80 centimeters wide, while
bathtubs should be avoided due
to the difficulty of entry and exit.
• It is recommended to provide
space for a second person, usually
a caregiver, to assist the elderly
when necessary. Similarly, it is
suggested to provide an
additional shower head to help
facilitate this assistance.
• Another important element is a
folding support stool, which
should be about 46 cm above the
floor.
Elderly Bathroom Alert
System
• Even when all these precautions
are taken, it is always important to
predict the worst possible scenario,
such as an accident.
• Doorbells, alarms and emergency
buttons are important in case the
elderly person needs to signal a
problem.
• They are often connected to telecare
companies, who will quickly assess
what precautions to take.
• It is important to place this device in a
very accessible location near the floor
so that it can be used even when there is
no possibility of getting up.
• Another available solution is the
installation of sensors in the rooms and
in the occupant itself, using automation.
Shower box

13. Different factors to be considered:
1. Lighting – its essential for senior to have sufficient lighting in their living space. Well-lit spaces have many benefits they help to prevent trips,
slips and falls.
2. Natural lighting- ensuring windows at specific locations of houses is very important to let in natural light.
3. Colors- color choices can help create a comforting, non-threatening environment. Strong contrasts between furniture, surrounding walls, drapes
and floors improves the visibility during day.
4. Doorways- it should be minimum 36’’ wide which will allow them to move through without risking any damage to them. Easy open-doors with
viewing panels must be installed throughout building to enhance security.
5. Handrails- handrails should be installed on both sides of stairs, ramps and hallways at high and low levels to prevent falls of elders. they should
be provided with a slip-resistant surface for secure grip even if the floor slope is not steep for great support of balance.
6. Pull out shelves- shelves that pull out allow muvh easier access to stored items. These possibly decrease strains from reaching too far and
prevent seniors from having to bend too often.

14. Safety and precautions
•Provide a sufficient number of grab bars (with groove patterns for better grip) in places
like the bathrooms/toilets, along the circulation path to the elderly’s bedroom and at an
accessible distance from the main door.
•Ensure that there are no trailing electrical wires or telephone lines to prevent accidental
trips.
•For easier control of lights, it’s recommended that you install large rocker light switches
•Store items at an appropriate height so the need to bend, climb or stretch to reach high
points is eliminated.
•Buy furniture with rounded edges, have fewer detachable parts and are made from
durable materials.
•Staircase lighting is an important safety consideration.

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THANK YOU
BY : VISHAKA BOTHRA